Rope-carrier direction-changing device.



No. 861,818.- PATENTED JULY 30, 1907I F. V. DRAKE.

ROPE GARRIER DIRECTION GHANGING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1907.

i Muir WITNESSES: INVENTOR FRANK V.DRAKE, OF BISHOP, CALIFORNIA.

ROPE-CARRIER DIRECTION-CHANGING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed May 8, 1907. Serial No. 372,515.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK V. DRAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bishop, in the county of Inyo and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rope-Carrier Direction- Ohanging Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a means for changing the direction of endless traveling rope carriers, and means for allowing the bucket or other hangers suspended from the rope to pass the inside pulley or drum around which the change of direction is effected.

It consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a section of part of my pulley, hanger and bucket. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the pulley. Fig. 3 is a general plan view.

1n the transportation of ore in mining regions and for other equivalent transportation, it is customary to employ an endless traveling cable with grips attached thereto, and hangers depending from the grips, from which hangers the load is suspended. Such apparatus is easily operated where the direction is in a substantially straight line, since the hangers projecting outwardly from the pulleys around which the rope passes, will always carry their loads around the outside of the pulleys without obstruction.

My invention is designed to enable the rope to change its direction and travel around intermediate direction pulleys which will allow it to pass to one side or the other of a straight line from the point where it receives the load to the point of deposit. Such disposition of the rope or cable will be necessary wherever it may be installed, in a crooked canyon or at other points where there are obstructions between the initial and terminal points.

A represents the rope or cable which passes around pulleys 13-13 at each end of its line of travel, and in the drawing the two pulleys are so located with relation to each other, that it is not possible for the rope to pass in a straight line between them.

In order to change the direction of the rope, I have shown a pulley 0 around which the outer part of the rope passes, and another direction pulley 6 over which the inner portion of the rope passes.

I have here represented the load by a bucket 3 suspended from a hanger 2. This hanger is clipped to the rope or cable A so as to be carried with it. At its upper end it extends outward in a substantially horizontal direction, and thence vertically downward, thence returning inwardly approximately into line beneath the cable, and to this lower end the load is suspended, and will hang below the rope in a substantially vertical line therewith.

The rope A has a series of bearing pulleys 5 at in tervals to prevent its sagging too much, and the portion of the hanger which extends horizontally outward from the rope, will thus clear these pulleys as it travels. It will also clear the outer direction pulley C where the change of direction takes place, since all the hangers attached to the rope will extend outwardly in one direction.

After passing around either of the pulleys B to return, the hangers will project inwardly from the rope, and when the inside direction pulley 6 is reached, it would not be possible to pass such a pulley without some change in the ordinary construction.

The pulley 6 is made sufiiciently large and provided with a vertical journal-shaft 7. The pulley may be made of any suitable material, and it has depending from its periphery the short shafts or spindles carrying a series of rollers 8 which extend downward parallel to the axis of this guide pulley 6. The hangers 2 which would contact with a surface or continuous roller thus located, will, by this construction pass between the vertical rollers 8 as shown, and thus allow the hanger to retain its normal position, and it and the load to pass the guide 6 without injurious contact with any portion, because the hanger will pass between the rollers 8 during its passage around the guide pulley. If any hanger arrives at the pulley at a point where one of these rollers projects downwardly the hanger will easily slip to one side or the other of the roller, and will thus swing between two contiguous .rollers so that the rope will contact with the rollers and pass around so as to make its change of direction.

The rollers may be made of wood, or metal, or of wood incased in metal tubing, and each roller should preferably have the lower end provided with a means to prevent the rope from dropping off the rollers in passing around the direction pulley. This may be effected either by an enlarged flange at this point, or a washer at the lower end of the roller, this washer being of larger diameter than the roller.

By this construction any change of direction may be effected, and a load transported between twopoints which are not accessible in a direct line.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In an apparatus for changing the direction of travel of an endless rope, a vertically journaled pulley around 2. In a direction changing device for endless traveling ropes, a vertically journaled pulley around which the outer part of the rope passes, a second vertically journaled pulley having downwardly projecting interspaced rollers around its periphery, load-carrying hangers fixed to the rope so as to project between said rollers while the rope passes around them.

3. A means for transferring loads, and changing their direction of travel, said means including an endless rope, hangers fixed thereto and adapted to suspend their loads beneath the rope, adirection pulley around which the outerzportion of the rope passes with the hangers projecting outwardly therefrom, a second direction pulley around which the inner portion of the rope passes with the hangers projecting toward the'pulley, rollers journaled on vertical shafts depending from the periphery of the pulley, said rollers being interspaced so that the hangers will pass between the rollers upon reaching the pulley.

4. in an apparatus for changing the direction of travel of an endless carrying rope, hangers fixed to the rope and projecting to one side, thence depending and returning inwardly to suspend the load approximately in line beneath the rope, direction changing pulleys around which the outer portion of the rope passes, with the hangers projecting outwardly therefrom, a second vertically journaled project, and enlargements or washers at the lower ends of the rollers whereby the rope is prevented from dropping. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK V. DRAKE.

Witnesses PAUL E. LODGE, CLARENCE BROWN. 

